Customizing User Tool Database Access

Machining	NC Review	Customizing User Tool Database Access Implementing the CATIMfgResourceQueryUserDatabase interface
Use Case

Abstract

This article discusses the CAAMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization use case and explains how to implement the CATIMfgResourceQueryUserDatabase manufacturing interface.

What You Will Learn With This Use Case
The CAAMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization Use Case
Step-by-Step
In Short
References

What You Will Learn With This Use Case

This use case is intended to help you customize the tool database access by implementing the CATIMfgResourceQueryUserDatabase manufacturing interface. This involves the following:

Creating an extension class to implement CATIMfgResourceQueryUserDatabase for CATMfgResourceQuery feature
Implementing all methods of CATIMfgResourceQueryUserDatabase to:
- Connect and Reset to the user tool database
- Make query on the user tool database
- Output results for query on tool database access.

[Top]

The CAAMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization Use Case

CAAMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization is a use case of the CAAManufacturingItf.edu framework that illustrates ManufacturingInterfaces framework capabilities.

[Top]

What Does CAAMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization Do

CAAMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization runs with the Part document "CAAMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization.CATPart". After selecting the PrismaticMachining workbench, access to the Import Tools command and access the "My_Tool_Database" in the combo "Look in", in order to make query in this customized Database.

Fig. 1: The customized Tool Database Access editor

[Top]

How to Launch CAAMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization

To launch CAAMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization, you will need to:

Set up the build time environment, then compile CAAMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization.m module along with its prerequisites [1]

Edit the interface dictionary, that is, the CAAManufacturingItf.edu.dico file located in:

Windows	`InstallRootDirectory\CAADoc\CAAManufacturingItf.edu\CNext\code\dictionary\`
Unix	`InstallRootDirectory/CAADoc/CAAManufacturingItf.edu/CNext/code/dictionary/`

where InstallRootDirectory is the directory where the CAA CD-ROM is installed, and decomment the following line by removing the '#' character:

CATMfgResourceQuery CATIMfgResourceQueryUserDatabase  libCAAMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization

Set up the run time environment
Launch a CATIA V5 session

Open the CAAMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization.CATPart file located in:

Windows	`InstallRootDirectory\CAADoc\CAAManufacturingItf.edu\CNext\resources\graphic\`
Unix	`InstallRootDirectory/CAADoc/CAAManufacturingItf.edu/CNext/resources/graphic/`

Using the Start menu, select the Prismatic Machining workbench in NC Manufacturing

This displays the PPR document:
In the PPR Tree, select Manufacturing Program.1 and select the Import/List Tools command in the Tool bar.
The following dialog box appears:

Note: at this step, there is no result as Tool query as there is no tool in the CATProcess document (default selection is made on current document).

Then select the "My_Tool_Database" in the "Look in" combo to invoke the query with no specific constraint on the Drilling tools
The simple query result is now available.

[Top]

Where to Find the CAAMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization Code

The CAAMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization use case is made of a class named CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization located in the CAAMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization.m module of the CAAManufacturingItf.edu framework:

Windows	`InstallRootDirectory\CAADoc\CAAManufacturingItf.edu\CAAMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization.m`
Unix	`InstallRootDirectory/CAADoc/CAAManufacturingItf.edu/CAAMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization.m`

where InstallRootDirectory is the directory where the CAA CD-ROM is installed.

[Top]

Step-by-Step

There are several steps in CAAMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization:

Creating an Extension Class to Implement CATIMfgResourceQueryUserDatabase
Implementing the Method for Displaying Information for the Query Location in the Tool Query Window
Implementing the Methods for Database Connection and Reset Connection
Implementing the Methods for Managing Query Constraints
Implementing the Methods for Execution of Query in Database
Implementing the Methods for the Output of the Query Result to Be Displayed

We now comment each of those sections by looking at the code.

[Top]

Creating an Extension Class to Implement CATIMfgResourceQueryUserDatabase

The extension class that will implement CATIMfgResourceQueryUserDatabase is named CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization. Creating this class is done is three sub steps:

Create the CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization class header file:

#include "CATBaseUnknown.h"
#include "CATListOfInt.h"
#include "CATListOfDouble.h"
#include "CATListOfCATUnicodeString.h"

class CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization : public CATBaseUnknown
{
  CATDeclareClass;
  public: 
    CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization();
    virtual ~CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization();
    virtual HRESULT InitConnection ();
    virtual HRESULT ResetConnection ();
    virtual HRESULT GetNamesToDisplay  (CATListOfCATUnicodeString &oListNames);
    virtual HRESULT Initialize (const CATUnicodeString &iName, 
                                const CATUnicodeString &iType);
    virtual HRESULT AddNameLikeConstraint  (const CATUnicodeString   &iValue);
    virtual HRESULT AddDiameterBetweenConstraint (const double &iMinValue,
                                                  const double &iMaxValue,
                                                  const CATUnicodeString   &iUnit);
    virtual HRESULT AddConstraint  (const CATUnicodeString   &iAttribute, 
                                    const int                &iOperator,
                                    const int                &iValue);
    virtual HRESULT AddConstraint  (const CATUnicodeString   &iAttribute, 
                                    const int                &iOperator,
                                    const double             &iValue,
                                    const CATUnicodeString   &iUnit);
    virtual HRESULT AddConstraint  (const CATUnicodeString   &iAttribute, 
                                    const int                &iOperator,
                                    const CATUnicodeString   &iValue);
    virtual HRESULT AddConstraints (const CATUnicodeString            &iAttribute, 
                                    const CATUnicodeString            &iUnit,
                                    const int                         &iTypeValue,
                                    const CATListOfInt                &iOperators,
                                    const CATListOfInt                &iIntValues,
                                    const CATListOfDouble             &iDblValues,
                                    const CATListOfCATUnicodeString   &iStrValues,
                                    const CATListOfInt                &iLogLinks);
    virtual HRESULT Execute();
    virtual HRESULT GetResultSize(int &NbElem);
    virtual HRESULT GetDescription (const int                  &iElem, 
                                    CATListOfCATUnicodeString  &oAttributes, 
                                    CATListOfInt               &oTypeValues, 
                                    CATListOfInt               &oNbValues,
                                    CATListOfInt               &oIntValues,
                                    CATListOfDouble            &DblValues, 
                                    CATListOfCATUnicodeString  &StrValues);
    virtual HRESULT GetRepresentation (const int         &iElem,
                                       CATUnicodeString  &oPathName);
private:
    CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization(const CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization &iObjectToCopy);
};

The CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization class C++-derives from CATBaseUnknown. The CATDeclareClass macro declares that the class CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization belongs to a component. The class has a constructor, a destructor, all the methods for the editor customization, and a copy constructor. Note that the copy constructor is set as private. This is very important for extensions. Since extensions must never be directly instantiated by client applications, this prevents the compiler from creating the copy constructor as public without you know. This copy constructor is not implemented in the source file.

Create the CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization class source file. It begins as follows:

...
#include "TIE_CATIMfgResourceQueryUserDatabase.h"
TIE_CATIMfgResourceQueryUserDatabase(CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization);
CATImplementClass(CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization,
                  DataExtension,                  
                  CATBaseUnknown,
                  CATMfgResourceQuery);
...
HRESULT CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization::InitConnection()
{
  ...

The CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization class states that it implements the CATIMfgResourceQueryUserDatabase interface thanks to the TIE_CATIMfgResourceQueryUserDatabase macro. The CATImplementClass macro declares that the CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization class is data extension class, thanks to the DataExtension keyword, and that it extends the feature whose type is Drilling. The third parameter must always be set to CATBaseUnknown, makes no sense, and is unused for extensions.

Extending the CATMfgResourceQuery feature using the CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization class that implements CATIMfgResourceQueryUserDatabase means fitting this feature with your customized behavior for drill tool editor which will replace the default one. Some implementations method are shown in the next steps. It has a smart pointer to the Process document manufacturing container as input parameter, and a smart pointer to the created Resource Query as output parameter.

Update the dictionary

Update the interface dictionary, that is a file named, for example in this case, CAAManufacturingItf.edu.dico, whose directory's pathname is concatenated at run time in the CATDictionaryPath environment variable, and containing the following declaration to state that the Drilling feature implements the CATIMfgResourceQueryUserDatabase interface, and whose code is located in the libCAAMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization shared library or DLL. Pay attention to remove the comment (#) in the supplied dictionary.

CATMfgResourceQuery CATIMfgResourceQueryUserDatabase libCAAMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization

The CAAManufacturingItf.edu.dico file is located in:

Windows	`InstallRootDirectory\CAADoc\CAAManufacturingItf.edu\CNext\code\dictionary\`
Unix	`InstallRootDirectory/CAADoc/CAAManufacturingItf.edu/Cnext/code/dictionary/`

[Top]

Implementing the Method for Displaying Information for the Query Location in the Tool Query Window

This method will allow the user to specify what will be the text displayed in the combo "Look in" for this user database access.

HRESULT CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization::GetNamesToDisplay (CATListOfATUnicodeString &oListNames)
{
  ...
  oListNames.Append ("My_Tool_Database");
  ...
}

[Top]

Implementing the Methods for Database Connection and Reset Connection

In the sample, the implementation of these methods is not complete due to the fact that in our example we are not trying to connect to any database but only display an hard-coded result.

HRESULT CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization::InitConnection()
{
  // Database Connection (call to Database connection Service)
  ...
}

HRESULT CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization::ResetConnection()
{
  // Reset Database Connection (call to Database reset connection Service)
  ...

[Top]

Implementing the Methods for Managing Query Constraints

In the use case, the implementation of these methods is not complete due to the fact that we are not trying to connect to any database but only display an hard-coded result.

The first method is dedicated to initialize query. For example to check that searched object type is stored in the current database.

HRESULT CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization::Initialize()
{
  ...
}

The next method is dedicated to manage constraints definition in the query. For example, if the user defines through the tool selection panel a query like "search the tool with Nominal Diameter greater than 10.00mm", that means the constraints will be defined with this method.

In such a case the iAttribute argument will be MFG_NOMINAL_DIAM (see CATMfgToolConstant.h header file), then the iunit argument will be "mm", iTypeValue will be 2 (for double), iOperators list will contain an interger with value 3, iIntValkues list will be empty (double value), iDblValues will contains double value 10.0, iStrValues will be empty and iLogLinks list will contains integrer value 0.

For more information about legal values to define the input, please refer to CATIMfgResourceQuery interface.

HRESULT CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization::AddConstraints (const CATUnicodeString &iAttribute,
                                                              const CATUnicodeString &iUnit,
                                                              const int &iTypeValue,
                                                              const CATListOfInt &iOperators,
                                                              const CATListOfInt &iIntValues,
                                                              const CATListOfDouble &iDblValues,
                                                              const CATListOfCATUnicodeString &iStrValues,
                                                              const CATListOfInt &iLogLinks)
{
  ...
}

[Top]

Implementing the Methods for Execution of Query in Database

In the sample, the implementation of these methods is not complete due to the fact that in our example we are not trying to connect to any database but only display an hard-coded result.

HRESULT CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization::Execute()
{
  // Database query execution (call to Database query Service)
  ...
}

[Top]

Implementing the Methods for the Output of the Query Result to Be Displayed

The first method to implement provides the number of description found in the database for the defined query.

HRESULT CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization::GetResultSize( int &oNbElements )
{
  ...
}

The second method to implement provides the output definition for the executed query, that means the result to be displayed

HRESULT CAAEMaiUserToolDatabaseCustomization::GetDescription (const int &iNumber,
                                                              CATListOfCATUnicodeString &oAttributes,
                                                              CATListOfInt &oTypeValues,
                                                              CATListOfInt &oNbValues,
                                                              CATListOfInt &oIntValues,
                                                              CATListOfDouble &oDblValues,
                                                              CATListOfCATUnicodeString &oStrValues)
{
  ...
  // Read the description of elements in database
  // For this example the output is hard-coded for Drill Tool
  // Length values should be given in mm unit
  switch (iNumber)
  {
    case 1:
      oAttributes.Append(MfgName);
      oTypeValues.Append(3);
      oNbValues.Append(1);
      oStrValues.Append("My_Tool_01");

      oAttributes.Append(MfgNominalDiameter);
      oTypeValues.Append(2);
      oNbValues.Append(1);
      oDblValues.Append(10.0);

      oAttributes.Append(MfgCuttingAngle);
      oTypeValues.Append(2);
      oNbValues.Append(1);
      oDblValues.Append(120.0);

      oAttributes.Append(MfgCuttingLength);
      oTypeValues.Append(2);
      oNbValues.Append(1);
      oDblValues.Append(30.0);

      oAttributes.Append(MfgLength);
      oTypeValues.Append(2);
      oNbValues.Append(1);
      oDblValues.Append(50.0);

      oAttributes.Append(MfgOverallLength);
      oTypeValues.Append(2);
      oNbValues.Append(1);
      oDblValues.Append(100.0);

      oAttributes.Append(MfgBodyDiameter);
      oTypeValues.Append(2);
      oNbValues.Append(1);
      oDblValues.Append(11.0);
      break;
  ...
}

[Top]

In Short

This article provides an example on how to use the manufacturing interface classes, and has illustrated them on the customization of Tool Database query. It shows how to implement the CATIMfgResourceQueryUserDatabase interface to customize query on Tools objects in a User Database.

The CATMfgResourceQuery feature behavior is modified by implementing CATIMfgResourceQueryUserDatabase in a data extension class. This class allows the end user to make its own query in an external database.

[Top]

References

[1]	Building and Launching a CAA V5 Use Case
[2]	Process Modeler Home Page
[Top]

History

Version: 1 [January 2001]	Document created
[Top]

Machining

NC Review